


Bittersweet Airport Memories

by thoughtlessblogger



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-08
Updated: 2014-03-08
Packaged: 2018-01-15 00:03:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1283779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtlessblogger/pseuds/thoughtlessblogger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of Louis's best memories took place in an airport and so did his worst memory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bittersweet Airport Memories

**Author's Note:**

> My first go at writing fanfiction. Hope you like it!

"Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic," Louis had been muttering to himself as he pushed his hair out of his face. The only thing that had been accomplished was seeing his distorted reflection in the glass wall. He could make out that his right eye, normally big and sea foam blue, was swollen shut and various shades of purple from the accidental hit he had received the day before at work.

It was accidental and not actually a hit hit. Louis could be really clumsy at times, but the day before had been particularly bad. He had walked into several doorframes, tripped over nothing, dropped his tea and fallen into the corner of his desk. He had been halfway down the hallway on his way to a meeting he was already five minutes late for, when he realized that he'd left a very crucial folder on his desk. In a rush he had stumbled into his office, tripped on a torn up piece of carpet and went flailing into the corner of his desk. His eye had taken the brunt of the fall. He had ended up not making the meeting at all. 

He had been sitting in what had to have been the world's most uncomfortable chair in the middle of Heathrow. He had a flight from London to New York booked for 1:15 and he'd already have been in his hotel if the flight hadn't been delayed. It was nearing eight hours since the initial delay; the only piece of information he and the other people on the flight had been given was that it was due to weather. Except it had snowed in London four days prior. There hadn't been much snow left on the ground. He could see that the runway was clear. There weren't any clouds in the sky. The only explanation he had been able to come up with was that the weather in New York had been bad. Except no, it wasn't. He had checked. Yet, they had still been told that the delay was caused by the weather. He hadn't quite bought that.

"I don't think the flight was delayed by the weather," the voice belonged to a man with curly hair that looked to be about Louis's own age. He had sat down next to Louis about two hours prior and they had been sitting in complete silence for the whole two time. Louis wouldn't admit it, but the silence had been making him uncomfortable. Not that silence made him uncomfortable, but when you're sitting right beside someone for so long someone should say something. It just wasn't going to be Louis. He liked talking to people and he was usually very good at it, but not when that someone he was talking to was a tall, gorgeous guy. Then he could hardly say "Hi" without stumbling over his words and looking like an idiot. So, the start of the conversation after two hours of silence had been very welcomed.

"It's like you read my mind." Louis had glanced over at the man. He looked about as annoyed and tired as Louis felt. Dark circles around his abnormally gorgeous, green eyes. "The weather's fine here. It's fine in New York too."

The man looked at Louis like he had just spoken a foreign language. "New York?"

"Yeah, New York. That's where the flight is coming from." When it had become clear that the man was still confused Louis had explained further. "It comes here from New York. People get off, people get on. Then to back to New York. Then to here and so on."

"So, it's a never ending cycle of people getting on and off a plane in the same two places?" 

Louis hadn't looked up, but he could sense the smile in the man's voice. "I'm sure it takes a break at some point. I'm Louis by the way." 

The man let out a chuckle. "Harry. My name's Harry."

"Ah, like Prince Harry." Louis had mentally punched himself for that. He's not funny around attractive guys.

Harry laughed though. "Funnily enough I haven't heard that before. I usually get Harry Potter." He took a sip from his water. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your eye?" Louis had just stared at him. He honestly had no idea what Harry was talking about. He pointed at Louis's right eye. "Your eye is hurt. What happened?"

"Oh." He can't believe he forgot about it. He also hadn't been able to believe that he was about to reveal to this man that he had just met and who must've already thought him to be an idiot how ridiculously clumsy he was. "Well, it's not cause someone hit me." Louis wanted to hit himself. He made it sound like someone had actually hit him. "I mean, really, no one hit me. I did it to myself. I'm not saying I hit myself. There was no hitting involved. Just falling. And a desk. Falling and a desk. That's what happened." 

Louis looked at Harry to see he was silently laughing. "I don't think anyone hit you. Doesn't look like that. Looks like you fell and hit your face on something."

"Haha. Yeah. That's what happened." They laughed together for a minute and then had fallen back into silence, but that time it had been comfortable. After a few minutes, Louis looked at his watch. Nine hours. "You know, if the flight was going to be delayed this long they should have just cancelled it so we could make different arrangements."

Harry had opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a woman's muffled voice coming through the intercom. "Flight 2341 to New York has been cancelled. Flight 2341 to New York has been cancelled." They looked at each other in complete disbelief and had broken out into uncontrollable laughter.

After they had stopped laughing, Harry looked at his phone and started scrolling through something Louis couldn't see. In that moment Louis could see how wonderfully attractive Harry actually was, but he didn't have time to linger on it before Harry interrupted his thoughts. "There's a flight to New York that takes off in about an hour. Seats are still available. We could go get on that." He had looked up at Louis with hope filled eyes that turned to uncertainty when Louis hadn't immediately answered. "I mean, that is, if you're you know, actually going to New York."

And Louis hadn't been able to help but break out into a howling laughter at that. "You think I was sitting here in an airport complaining about a flight to New York being delayed for nine hours if I wasn't supposed to be on the flight? Come on Curly." The nickname had slipped out easily and Louis had thought that he'd like to use it more often.

Harry had looked adorable with the embarrassed smile had been wearing. "Well, I dunno. You could be in to that sort of thing."

Louis had let out actual Ha's. "You never know." He paused to wink at Harry. "But yeah, I'd like to be in New York sometime soon." He stood to gather his stuff and Harry followed.

"Maybe we could like sit together of something." Harry's hadn't been looking at Louis when he said it, but Louis could hear the hope in his voice and when he turned to face Louis he could see it written in his face. "Get to know one another."

Louis thought that his smile might break his face. "Yeah, sounds great." Louis knew that he would very much like the chance to get to know Harry better and Louis was thanking whatever force that caused their flight to be delayed nine hours.  
~~~  
That's how they had met. Six and a half years ago. In an airport. They had flown to New York together and had ended up being in the same hotel, right down the hall from one another. They had spent most of their free time together while they had been there. They had become instant friends and Louis had thought then that he had wanted more. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he had fallen in love with Harry that first night on the plane. He's actually pretty sure he fell in love with him when Harry had suggested getting on the later flight. 

Louis had thought it was fate that their original flight had been delayed and then cancelled. He's pretty sure that while he would've noticed Harry get on and off the same flight, he's not sure he would've actually said anything to him. And Louis thanks God everyday for there being a technical issue with the plane because his life would've been a lot different. After a year and a half of dancing around their feelings for the other they finally progressed from friends to boyfriends. And Louis had been happy. Happier than any one person should ever be, which is probably why he isn't anymore.

Louis thanks God everyday for the technical issue that delayed their plane. Louis curses God everyday for the technical issue that delayed their plane an ruined his life.  
~~~  
Louis remembers the first time they had said "I love you". It wasn't anything spectacular. Wasn't a very special way in a special place.

It was in the airport. Louis was getting ready to board a flight to Hong Kong and Harry had come to the gate with him. Louis had just gotten done giving Harry a speech on to take care if his flat while he was gone. "Do not let Niall come over and eat all my food. Do not, and let me repeat, do not drink my tea. If for some reason you should, replace it. Water my plants, get the mail, feed the cat-".

"Louis you don't have a cat." 

"Yes, well, have to cover all the bases now don't I." Louis leaned up to plant a kiss on Harry's cheek. "Seriously though, I trust you."

Harry smiled. "Of course you trust me. Everyone does."

"Ha. Don't make me laugh Curly." Louis looked at the time on his phone. "Shit, I've got to go."

Harry's smile faltered for a second before returning. "Yeah, ok. Have a great flight. Be safe."

They hugged each other and quickly passed a kiss. "Thanks. Like I said feed the cat."

Harry laughed in exasperation. "God I love you." As soon as he said it he stopped laughing and suddenly turned serious. "I really do. I love you Lou."

As soon as he said it, Louis's heart skipped a beat. "I love you too." Louis kissed Harry again, this time lingering a little longer. "I really have to go now." They started walking backwards. The distance between them growing. "Feed the cat!" Louis yelled as he turned to shuffle through the gate an as he went he could hear Harry's deep laugh.

It wasn't shocking or awkward. It was normal and felt like they had said it a million times before. Looking back on it now, Louis should've taken that as an omen, but then he had just boarded his plane with smiling and telling everyone he came across that "My boyfriend said he loves me".  
~~~  
It really hadn't needed to be said. They already knew it. Louis wishes now that he could say it again. Wishes he could go back in time and say it to Harry several times every day from the moment that they had known each other.  
~~~  
Two years after they had gotten together Harry had asked Louis when he had known that he loved Harry and Louis had blushed and said "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Harry had smiled sheepishly and ran a hand through his curls. "I think you'd be surprised."

Louis had just shook his head. "You really wouldn't Haz."

Harry's smile faltered. "I would Lou. I always believe you."

Louis sighed. "Honestly, I fell in love with you the night we met. The moment you asked me if I wanted to get on that later flight with you."

Harry's smile was back and he was laughing. "See! I told you you wouldn't believe me!"

Harry's face went back to being serious. "I do believe." Harry had stepped closer and grabbed Louis's hands in his own. "But only because I fell in love with you first."  
"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I fell in love with you with you told me about what happened to your eye." 

And Louis's not sure who had initiated that kiss, but it was perfect and in that moment, if he hadn't already been convinced of it, he was sure that he was going to marry this man.  
~~~  
Now, though, Louis knows that's not going to happen. He's never going to get the chance. They're never going to get the chance. They had been so full of love and hope and promises neither one of them could keep. And Harry. Harry had been so full of life and he didn't deserve what happened to him. And that hurts more than anything.  
~~~  
Harry had been acting odd all week so when Harry had drug Louis to the airport without any luggage for either of them Louis immediately knew something was up, but he chalked it up to Harry just being his usual quirky self. He was completely not prepared when they had ended up in the same area where they had met and Harry went down on one knee.

Louis had immediately teared up. And he didn't care if everyone in the world saw him cry because this was the happiest damn moment of his life. They had talked about it before. Many times before. It was something they both wanted and Louis still couldn't believe it was happening.

"Louis, oh God. I can't do this." And maybe Louis should've panicked because to most people that would sound like Harry changed his mind, but this was Harry and he couldn't do it because he was already crying and he was very well aware of the fact that people didn't think he was good with words. "Louis, I, look. I had this big speech planned out an everything, but I've forgotten it."

Harry had just stopped talking and was staring intently into Louis's eyes trying to communicate that way, but Louis was very much aware of the small crowd that had started to gather around them. Why not give them a show, he had thought. And besides, he should make Harry work for it. "Harry are you going to tell me what you're on about?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Louis, I love you. I've loved you since we met here five years ago. We've talked about it before, but I'm not sure you've ever really believed me when I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, so I'm proving it." He pauses to wipe tears off his face. "I love you with all my heart and I can't imagine-" He cuts himself off with a sob.

It's Louis's turn to roll his eyes. "For the love of everything that is holy, Haz. Get on with it."

Harry lets out a laugh and seems to have gained his ability to talk again. "Louis, will you marry me?"

Louis had yelled, not squealed like Harry told everyone, a very emphatic yes and jump dropped down to kiss Harry as the crowd erupted into cheers.  
~~~  
There was never a doubt in Louis's mind that he would ever say anything other than yes. Louis never forgot what he said and that was a year and three months ago. Louis will never forget what Harry had said.  
~~~  
Louis only thinks it fitting that he was told in the airport while he was waiting for Harry's flight from Berlin to land. Waiting to see Harry's mop of curls hurried walking towards him. Waiting for Harry to grab him and kiss and tell him how much he loves and missed him. But he didn't get that. And he'll never get it again.  
~~~  
Louis thinks it's funny that he remembers almost every detail about his and Harry's lives together and that most of the big moments happened in the airport, but he doesn't actually remember how he found out. He just knows that he was in the airport. He's not sure if he saw it on the news on the telly or if he had heard someone talking about it or if it had been airport security that had told him.

All he remembers is that he was told by someone or something that Harry's plane had had engine failure and had crashed killing everyone on board. He remembers not believing it at first. Denying it over and over again. He remembers finally breaking down in the middle of the airport. He remembers Zayn picking him up from the floor and carrying him to a car all the while whispering variations of "It'll be okay." 

And Louis had wanted to tell him to fuck off because it's not. Harry's dead and it's never going to be okay. He wanted to yell at Zayn that it wasn't fair that Harry had been on that plane because god damnit they were getting married in a week, but he hadn't been able to because all he could do was cry and mutter between sobs "I love you Harry."


End file.
